Vineland's Edelstein contributing after horrible elbow injury

Apr. 26, 2013

Written by

VINELAND — It didn’t take Jesse Edelstein long to recite the date that threw a wrench into his baseball plans at Vineland High School.

It was Oct. 26, 2011, when Edelstein, now a senior with the Fighting Clan, collided with former teammate Ricky Hinds while tracking down a fly ball during a game with their fall travel team.

The run-in led to multiple breaks in Edelstein’s right elbow in addition to it being dislocated — the result of direct contact with Hinds’ forehead.

“I was in center field, running to the right-field gap and there was a miscommunication,” Edelstein recalled. “I popped right up and didn’t feel anything, then I just dropped. Then I could feel things weren’t in the right place.”

It has been a long road back since then for Edelstein.

The outfielder had six surgeries, almost as many casts and missed 50 days of school, including a month straight, while being forced to complete in-home rehabilitation.

“I had no idea if I was going to play again or not,” Edelstein said. “There was a small chance. The doctors really didn’t want me to play again and risk injury, but they left it up to me.”

Edelstein opted to stick around the team and served as one of Vineland’s managers last season in hopes of working his way back for the 2013 campaign.

That dedication impressed Fighting Clan coach John Malatesta.

“He came to every game, did whatever we asked of him,” Malatesta said of Edelstein. “Jesse showed great character. He loves to be with his teammates and he wanted to be here with his guys and finish things up.”

With his last surgery coming in November, Edelstein still isn’t back to 100 percent.

That left the senior unsure of whether or not he’d suit up this spring.

“I didn’t think I was going to play this year until about three weeks before tryouts,” Edelstein said. “Some of the seniors were coming up to me and trying to get me to come out to play. I came out to the clinics and felt pretty good, so I decided to do it.”

Edelstein has appeared in six games, scoring four runs while adding a pair of RBIs. Malatesta prefers to use him in pinch- and courtesy-running situations, and also as a late-game defensive replacement.

“He’s another outfielder for us, a left-handed bat who has speed,” Malatesta said. “The biggest thing right now is getting him back up to the pace of (the varsity) level. He’s not all the way there yet.”

While his impact on the field has been minimal, Edelstein is chipping in for the 8-2 Fighting Clan where he can.

“Whatever they use me for, it doesn’t really matter,” said Edelstein, who sports an elbow guard at the plate. “It feels good. It’s just fun to be out there.”

Malatesta said Edelstein should be used as an example of perseverance by the rest of the Fighting Clan.

For a Vineland team with high expectations this year, Edelstein can be a symbol of not throwing in the towel if things get tough.

“He went through a life-changer,” Malatesta said. “We preach all the time about how life skills come from the game of baseball. There’s no better example of that than what Jesse’s been able to do.”

You will automatically receive the TheDailyJournal.com Top 5 daily email newsletter. If you don't want to receive this newsletter, you can change your newsletter selections in your account preferences.